News Release

Great West Lifeco Chairman of the Board Ray McFeetors made a generous personal contribution of $1.67-million towards a student housing complex that will bear his name. Kelly Morton/UWinnipeg.ca photo

Ray
McFeetors, Great West Life Commit $2.67 Million for New UWinnipeg Student
Residence

McFeetors Hall to House Students and Community Neighbours

FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE – FRIDAY, MAY 2, 2008

WINNIPEG, MB – UWinnipeg Alumnus Dr.
Raymond L. McFeetors, a Collegiate and University of Winnipeg graduate and Chairman
of the Board of Great-West Lifeco Inc., has embraced the University’s vision of
a greater downtown campus for the community, making a personal gift of
$1.67-million that will launch development of an innovative student residence
for The University of Winnipeg.

Great-West Life has
committed a further $1-million to the project, for a combined gift of
$2.67-million to help make the student residence come alive. The new student facility, to be
named McFeetors Hall: Great-West Life Student Residence, will be built on the
north-east side of UWinnipeg’s future Richardson College
for the Environment & Science Complex on Langside Street.

“There are times when
our alumni and corporate partners make gifts that are truly transformational,
not only for our University and Collegiate communities, but for our City and
Province. This is such a gift,” said University President and Vice-Chancellor
Lloyd Axworthy. “Ray McFeetors and Great-West Life are helping to create an
expansion that will fundamentally change student life and revitalize
UWinnipeg’s campus and surrounding neighbourhoods. This important new facility
will offer excellent and affordable housing right on campus so that our
students and people in the community have a real opportunity and proper support
to achieve their goals and dreams.”

This lead gift to the new student
residence is one of the largest campaign gifts
to date, bringing the University’s A World of Opportunity campaign achievements
to more than $58-million toward a goal of $70-million. McFeetors is a member of
The University of Winnipeg Collegiate Class of 1965,
and completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1968. He was named a Distinguished
Alumnus in 2006, and was awarded a University of Winnipeg Honorary Doctor of
Laws (LLD) in 2007 in recognition of lifetime achievements.

“I am honoured, as an
alumnus of both The Collegiate and University, to make a gift today that gives
back to this community in a way that will help others benefit, as I have, from
higher education at this important institution. As a rural student living in
residence on campus in the 1960s, I benefited from my Collegiate experience. I
then received an invaluable university education that set me on my life path,”
said McFeetors.

“At Great-West Life, we
are committed to taking an active leadership role in the communities we serve,”
added McFeetors, “We take pride in knowing that our support to Winnipeg’s
downtown University campus and surrounding community will help bring new vitality
to the inner city. We are pleased that future students, whether fresh out of
high school or returning to school as mature students, will benefit from
affordable, quality housing to help them achieve their dreams and goals in
life.”

McFeetors
Hall: Great-West Life Student Residence will feature housing for rural and
out-of-province students, mature students and their families, and international
students, attending The University of Winnipeg as well as other educational
institutions. Plans call for townhouse-style units – an initiative also
supported by $500,000 in funding from the Government of Manitoba’s Housing
Development and Rehabilitation Fund – featuring street level entrances.

Also in the
plans are dormitory-style units on the upper floors to accommodate more than
175 students in single rooms and multi-bedroom suites, with facilities for
private and shared bathrooms and cooking units. Student common rooms, lounges
and ancillary space will provide opportunities for students to experience
University campus housing at its best.

Adjoining
the facility will be The University of Winnipeg Students’ Association (UWSA)
child care centre for approximately 120 children from both the University
community and surrounding neighbourhood. The day care will include outdoor play
areas in an enclosed green space.

“The University is
pleased to have the confidence of Dr. Raymond McFeetors and Great-West Life.
Their outstanding gifts will bring a whole new meaning to life on campus for
The University of Winnipeg,” said Campaign Chair R.M. (Bob) Kozminski, a member
of The University of Winnipeg Foundation’s Board of Directors. “This support
continues a tradition of important philanthropic contributions by Great-West
Life and its leadership to our University.”